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Easy to set up, good range of internet streaming channels
Lacking some key channels, no wired Ethernet connection
Last year US firm Roku brought out the Roku 2 XS, a deceptively powerful little box of digital telly tricks allowing you to watch a broad range of catch-up TV and streaming video for just under £100. Now it's done it again for half the price.
It's on sale now for £50.
Design
Physically, the Roku LT doesn't look very much different from its predecessor. It's a square box with curved edges measuring 84x84x23mm and weighing just 85g -- just a sliver smaller and lighter than the 2 XS and discreet enough to fit in just about anywhere next to your TV without drawing any unnecessary attention to itself.
Around the back there's a power socket, A/V line out and an HDMI port -- and that's it. There's no wired Ethernet slot, which may be an issue for some if your Wi-Fi strength isn't up to scratch, but otherwise it's a very neat layout.
No power switch means of course that short of pulling out the plug, you can't actually turn it off, which is seriously less than green if you're the sort who likes to save the planet by avoiding the standby setting. Still, it only uses 2W of power even when it's streaming its maximum 720p HD video -- which is really very modest.
The slim remote that comes with it is pretty minimalist too, with a bare minimum of control buttons. This one's infrared, as opposed to the 2 XS's RF system, which allows you to do basic Wii-style motion gaming -- no great loss really. Also supplied are batteries for the remote and an analogue cable for connecting to the RCA sockets on your TV. If you want to go all high definition though, you'll need to splash for an additional HDMI cable.
Features and performance
The 2 XS supports full 1080p HD, but the LT makes do with 720p -- it's a reasonable compromise to make to meet the price.
Once you've set it up and signed into the Roku system, there are plenty of channels to choose from. Some are free, and some you'll have to pay a subscription for, but it arguably gives you more freedom than signing up to an all-in package from Sky or Virgin.
Big names like iPlayer and Netflix are here, as is Sky's Now TV -- 600 in all. A few are still noticeable by their absence though, including Demand 5, 4oD and ITV player. Spotify's available now as well, so you can stream music from the Swedish firm's absurdly large collection of tunes through your TV's sound system.
Our concerns about buffering on Wi-Fi turned out to be unfounded, and the LT streamed from iPlayer, Spotify, Netflix and others without a hitch. It really is a painless way to enjoy quality streaming video on your telly.
Conclusion Like its big brother, the Roku LT is a terrific little media streaming box that does everything it should do simply and without fuss. You lose out on full HD (but get 720p) and wired Ethernet connection but short of a few big-name channels, it will get you just about all the streaming video on your TV that you could need, all for 50 quid.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
